Why is the PEP important?
Local authorities have a specific duty, under the Children Act 1989; to promote the educational achievement of all Children Looked After. The PEP is the key mechanism for addressing the needs of the child or young person and improving their attainment. The PEP should set high expectations of rapid progress and put in place the additional support needed to succeed. It should reflect any existing education plans, such as a Statement of Special Educational Needs or Individual Education Plan (IEP). The PEP is a vital part of the Care Plan for Children in Care and should be completed for children aged 3 until the end of the statutory school age.
Who initiates the PEP?
It is the responsibility of the Social Worker to initiate the PEP.
When a child goes into care, the social worker must initiate a PEP as part of the Care Plan, even where the child or young person is without a school place. The SW should complete their parts of the PEP and email this to the school 5 working days in advance of the PEP meeting. The PEP must be complete and its recommendations available for the first review of the child’s plan which will be held within 20 working days of the child entering care.
The current version of the PEP to be used can be found at
How is the child or young person involved in the PEP process?
The child or young person’s views must be represented at the PEP meeting. How this is achieved is dependant on the child’s age and special needs. If the child or young person can contribute positively to the meeting and it is a supportive experience for them, the decision could be made for the Child Looked Afterto attend the appropriate part of the PEP meeting.
Normally, the My Views section will be completed by the designated teacher alongside the child, ready for the PEP meeting. The designated teacher may need to collect views through conversation and/or drawings, symbols or other methods and record the main points onto the electronic PEP.
Transition is often a very anxious time for vulnerable children such as children in the care system. It is important that moves between settings/schools are planned carefully and effective communication routes are established between the current and receiving schools, the carer and social worker.
The Year 9 PEP should reflect long term educational and career planning. The young person will need comprehensive advice and planning with regard to career aspirations and post-16 options. Section 11 of the PEP provides a summary of this support and discussions held with the young person and the designated teacher, and can help to identify any gaps.
Whose responsibility is the PEP?
The PEP is the joint responsibility of the Local Authority and the school. The social worker is responsible for initiating the form and booking the PEP meeting. The social worker has responsibility for completing their sections of the PEP and emailing that to the designated teacher 5 working days before the meeting (in particular, sections 1a and 4 – information in sections 2a/b and 3 would also be helpful though this could be left to the meeting).The designated teacher then has responsibility for completing their sections prior to the meeting (in particular, sections 5, 6 and 7, and also information in section 9 if it is not appropriate for the child to attend the meeting). The designated teacher is also responsible for recording the discussions and outcomes of the meeting and returning the finalised PEP to the PEP coordinator at County Hall. It is strongly recommended that the PEP is completed at the meeting. If not, the designated teacher should retain the draft and ensure it is completed and circulated within 10 working days.
What is the review process for the PEP?
The PEP should be reviewed alongside the Care Plan (ieafter 20 working days of going into care, 3 months, 5 months, and 6 monthly intervals thereafter). The PEP should also be reviewed when the child or young person moves care or education placement or when there are significant changes in circumstance. It is recommended that to ensure PEPs are reviewed within 6 months, and to allow for any change of PEP meeting date, PEP reviews are set for 5 months after each completed PEP meeting, enabling the paperwork to be completed and returned prior to the due date, so that the PEP does not lapse.
PEP reviews should take place in consultation with the child, the school’s designated teacher, the social worker,carers and other relevant professionals.
Where a child has a statement of special educational needs, the PEP review should be linked with the annual review of the statement.
Children’s Social Care (CSC) procedures will always alert a social worker when a Child Looked After (CLA) Review, and therefore a PEP is due.
Is the process different for children who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs?
Where a child has a Statement of Special Educational Needs, the PEP review should be linked with the Annual Review and education plans in place for the child, such as the Individual Education Plan (IEP).
What about children with disabilities who are receiving respite care?
Most children with disabilities who are Looked After will have parents actively involved in their education. Children receiving less than 75 days respite care do not need a PEP.
For those children receiving more than 75 days respite, a PEP is required. The PEP should refer to the annual review of statement or the IEP.
The PEP guidance will apply in full to children with disabilities who are in care on a full time, long term basis (see flow chart on page 4).
What about children who are in the last few months of Year 11?
During the months of June and July (and possibly as early as May) it will be more relevant to conduct Pathway Planning meetings For Year 11 pupils instead of the usual PEP meetings. In these cases, the Post-16 PEP should be completed in conjunction with the Pathway Plan and distributed in the usual manner, including to the Children in CareEducation Service. This will ensure that a record of transition planning for education is held and that relevant funding is distributed to the education setting. There must be no lapse in documentation, so if it is not possible to complete a Post-16 PEP when the previous PEP elapses, a new PEP in the standard format should be completed for the interim period.
We’ve completed the PEP – what happens now?
The designated teacher sends copy of the completed PEP electronically within 10 working days of the PEP meeting to the Children in CareEducation Service at , the social worker,carer/keyworker, parent, (if appropriate), if the young person has a Statement, the Casework Officerand where appropriate the child /young person.
Where the PEP is overdue the PEP coordinator will contact the designated teacher requesting a copy of the completed PEP. If this is not successful an escalation process will occur involving the head teacher and group manager if necessary (escalation within CSC may be needed if a school reports that social workers are not fulfilling their roles with regard to PEPs).
A copy of the completed PEP must be sent electronically to the Children in CareEducation Service at . Please note that we are unable to accept paper copies.
Once a current, completed PEP is logged by the Children in CareEducation Service, the school will receive retrospective Funding for Children from Vulnerable Groups where there is an entitlement. This is to be spent on raising the attainment of the qualifying Child Looked After.
The intended use of this and Pupil Premium funding should be agreed and noted as part of the PEP meeting in Section 13.
For more detailed information on the use of funding, please refer to the statutory guidance Promoting the Educational Achievement of Looked After Children: Statutory Guidance for Local Authorities on the DfE website, or follow the link on the Children in Care(VirtualSchool) home page on
Changes of Social Worker
Where a child transfers to another social worker, the original social worker must ensure that dates of planned PEP meetings or due dates for review of PEPs are conveyed to the new worker at the point of transfer.
Children not attending school
If a child is not attending school they must be provided with an “appropriate provision”. “The appropriate provision” will therefore need to complete the PEP with assistance from the CLA education team.
PEP (Proposed Update 2013)1
THE PEP REVIEW PROCESS FOR CHILDREN LOOKED AFTER
PEP (Proposed Update 2013)1
EDUCATION INFORMATION
Cognitive Abilities Test
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) measures the three principal forms of reasoning; verbal, quantitative and non-verbal. It is used by many schools for assessing pupils ranging from 7 years 6 months – 17+. As a guide, the average standardised score ranges from 85 – 100.
CountyCodes for Exclusions
Code
/Description
VIOP
/Physical assault against pupil
VIOT
/Physical assault against adult
ABUP
/Verbal abuse/threatening behaviour against pupil
ABUT
/Verbal abuse/threatening behaviour against adult
BULL
/Bullying
RACE
/Racist abuse
SEMC
/Sexual misconduct
DADR
/Drug and alcohol related
DAM
/Damage
THEF
/Theft
PDB
/Persistent disruptive behaviour
Other
National Curriculum Key Stages:
Age / Stage / Year / Assessments / NC Target Level3-4
4-5 / EYFS
EYFS / Pre-school
Reception / Foundation Stage Profile / 78%
5-6
6-7 / Key Stage 1 / Year 1
Year 2 / Teacher Assessments: En, Ma, Sc / 2
7-8
8-9
9-10
10-11 / Key Stage 2 / Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6 / National Tests: En, Ma, Sc / 4
11-12
12-13
13-14 / Key Stage 3 / Year 7
Year 8
Year 9 / Ongoing teacher assessments
Ongoing teacher assessments
Teacher assessments: En, Ma, Sc and the other foundation subjects / 5
14-15
15-16 / Key Stage 4 / Year 10
Year 11 / Some children take GCSEs
Most children take GCSEs or other national qualifications / 5 GCSEs A*-C
SOCIAL CARE INFORMATION
Legal Status (The Children Act 1989)
It is important for schools to know the child’s legal status because it affects the kinds of decision schools can make, especially in matters of contact with the child by the birth family or guardians.
Section 20
This means being accommodated only. There are no care orders on the child, although Children’s Social Care has certain legal responsibilities. Legally the parents can make all decisions for a child who is only accommodated. It is advisable for schools to check with the child’s social worker if they are unsure/need clarification.
Section 31
This is a care order and it means that Children’s Social Care share Parental Responsibility with the parents and can make all important decisions. For example, if a birth family member contacts the school to make a request concerning access to information or educational issues then permission for any arrangement must be obtained from Children’s Social Care.
Section 38
This is an interim care order and it gives Children’s Social Care the same powers as a full care order, but only for the time period during which the interim care order has been granted.
Medical Consent
Once the child’s legal status is clear, the issue of medical consent is the same as for other children. Schools automatically take children for emergency treatment. With all other medical issues Children’s Social Care must be contacted.GLOSSARY
DescriptionARCHEY / Action and Review of children in the Early Years
ASD / Autistic Spectrum Disorder
ASDAN / Nationally recognized courses for 11-25 year olds (
BESD / Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties
CAMHS / Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service
CiC / Children in Care (interchangeable with Children Looked After)
CLA / Children Looked After (interchangeable with Children in Care)
CSC / Children’s Social Care
DfE / Department for Education
DT / Designated Teacher
EPS / Educational Psychology Service
EYA / Early Years Adviser
EYFS / Early Years Foundation Stage
GCSE / General Certificate of Secondary Education
IEP / Individual Education Plan
IRO / Independent Reviewing Officer
LGDD / Learning: General Developmental Delay
LLSC / Learning: Language and/or Social Communication
LSS / Learning Support Service
MAISEY / Multi-agency Identification and Support in the Early Years
NC / National Curriculum
NVQ / National Vocational Qualification
PEP / Personal Education Plan
PfA / Provision for All
Protocol / Social Care Database
PSP / Pastoral Support Program
SEBSS / Social, Emotional and Behaviour Support Service
SATs / Standard Assessment Tasks
SENCO / Special Educational Needs Coordinator
SiX / Somerset Information Exchange
SpLD / Specific Literacy Difficulty
SW / Social Worker
UPN / Unique Pupil Number
PEP (Proposed Update 2013)1